Reporting Restrictions & Anonymity Applications

A 1.5-hour online YJLC masterclass for criminal lawyers representing child defendants, particularly those facing serious offences that garner media interest.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the UK is a signatory, is clear ‘Every child alleged as or accused of having infringed the penal law has at least the following guarantees: To have his or her privacy fully respected at all stages of the proceedings’ (Article 40(2)(b)(vii))

Protecting your child client from media coverage is a critical part of criminal representation — but reporting restrictions and anonymity in criminal proceedings are not always straightforward.

This masterclass will equip criminal lawyers with the knowledge and confidence to identify reporting restrictions, understand the different legal routes to anonymity, and make effective representations to protect a child’s identity.

Drawing on YJLC’s specialist expertise and practical guidance, the session will explore the legal framework governing reporting restrictions for children in criminal proceedings, including the different protections available pre-charge, in the youth court, adult magistrates’ court and Crown Court. The session will also consider the interaction between the child’s welfare and Article 8 rights, open justice and Article 10 rights, and the balancing exercise undertaken by the courts.

The masterclass will also look at what happens when a child turns 18. And what steps may need to be considered to prevent identification thereafter.

What will the masterclass cover?

• The legal framework — when reporting restrictions apply automatically and when an application is required.
• Youth Court, magistrates’ court and Crown Court — understanding the different protections available to child defendants.
• Discretionary reporting restrictions and anonymity under s45 YJCEA 1999 and the relevant human rights framework.
• The balancing exercise — child welfare, rehabilitation and Article 8 rights alongside open justice and Article 10 rights.
• Resisting applications by the media to lift restrictions, including after conviction and at sentence.
• The role of the Crown Prosecution Service in anonymity
• The role of the Local Authority Children’s Services in applications to waive anonymity, considering safeguarding and welfare and the Right to Life
• Turning 18 — what happens when statutory reporting restrictions expire and when further protection may be available.
• Relevant case law and practical advocacy tips for lawyers representing children.

The session will give participants a clear framework they can apply to their own cases.

The masterclass will be facilitated by Shauneen Lambe.

Shauneen Lambe is an internationally recognised lawyer, qualified as both a barrister in the UK and an attorney in the USA. She began her career at the Louisiana Crisis Assistance Center, representing clients facing the death penalty — including those accused of offences committed as children. A founding leader in youth justice reform, Shauneen is an Ashoka Fellow, an Eisenhower Fellow, and co-author of Youth Justice Law and Practice (the leading LAG textbook for lawyers).